Glutamine and skeletal muscle

Abstract

Of the group of 20 amino acids which covalently bonded in linear sequences to form all proteins from the oldest bacteria to the most complex forms of life, glutamine deserves special attention. For many mammals, including human beings, glutamine, especially intermediate metabolism of amino acids of muscle cells, is the most abundant free amino acid in the body and is important in many cell types, playing an important role in a number of essential functions. In high catabolism conditions, such as diseases and exhausting exercise, the synthesis of glutamine does not supply the needs demanded by the organism. In this process, one of the most important sites of glutamine synthesis is the skeletal muscle, not for its synthesis capacity per se, but because it represents at least 40 % of total bodily mass.